your emotions, and you can choose to see the glass as half full or half empty.
Your perception and the way you see any situation can affect your stress level.
You have the power. The freshness of a positive attitude can keep you from
falling apart and drifting away from the Perfect 10 Diet.
Is there a relationship between stress and hormonal disturbance? You bet.
Progesterone is the building block for many other major hormones. Cortisol,
testosterone, and estrogen are all made from progesterone in a process that
begins with cholesterol. Take a look at the following chart of the metabolic
pathway (Fig. 11.1). These hormones are present in our bodies to varying
degrees at all times, but only progesterone is readily converted into its sister
hormones if needed. If we are under a lot of stress and our adrenals are pumping
out cortisol, our bodies will take any available progesterone and divert it to meet
that demand. If too much progesterone gets diverted for cortisol, this can make
you develop belly fat. With too much progesterone shunted to make cortisol,
there will be a disturbance in all sex hormones. No wonder we feel sick,
lethargic, and uninterested in sex when we’re under stress! Stress also causes
insulin and leptin resistance. Relax to be a perfect 10.
Figure 11.1: How Hormones Are Made in the Body
If you find yourself stressed and worried, especially if you resort to food for comfort, I suggest the
following:
- Take a bath rather than a shower. It’s a great way to relax and energize
- yourself after a stressful day. Sit in a quiet place and imagine yourself on
a beach or a tropical island. Hear the waves, smell the ocean breeze, and
feel the sunlight. Research indicates that the brain can be tricked into
thinking what you imagine is the real thing. This can reduce your stress
level and reduce your cortisol level.